POLICE seeking advice on whether to arrest ex-CCA employee on drug complaint

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Tulsa police will conduct lab tests before deciding whether to ask prosecutors about arresting a former Tulsa Jail employee on a drug complaint. <br><br>Ted Roosevelt Crisp resigned

Wednesday, June 13th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Tulsa police will conduct lab tests before deciding whether to ask prosecutors about arresting a former Tulsa Jail employee on a drug complaint.

Ted Roosevelt Crisp resigned from his job at the facility after jail personnel found Valium in his sock during an employee shakedown last Thursday, said Chris Howard, a spokesman for Corrections Corporation of America, which runs the facility.

Crisp had been employed by CCA since Oct. 23.

A CCA assistant shift supervisor told police in the jail's booking area that he had found a plastic bag containing 10 blue pills in one of the guards' sock. The CCA supervisor told police that the pills were later identified as 10-milligram tablets of Valium, records show.

No arrest have been made. Tulsa Police Officer Lucky Lamons said Tuesday that the department will test the pills and get an opinion from prosecutors on whether to proceed with an arrest on a complaint of possession of a controlled drug with the intent to distribute and carrying a controlled substance into the jail.

CCA routinely pats down all employees, Howard said. This is one of the first times an employee has been caught with what was alleged to be drugs, he said.

``Each shift gets it at least once a week,'' Howard said. ``We hope that it would be a deterrent for bringing in contraband, not just drugs, but tobacco, lighters.''

Employees empty their pockets and can be asked to take off their shoes. Howard said he once came in with a Coca-Cola during a shakedown and had to pour it out.